Improvement in devices for pulling piles and posts



R. HILLYER. DEVICE FOR PULLING FILES AND POSTS.

Patented Dec.5,1876.

I nventor Witnesses UNITED STATES 'TPA 'EIvT OFFICE.

RICHARD HILLYER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF orHIS RIGHT TO RICHARD HARRIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR PUL LING PILES AND POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,965, dated December5, 1876; application filed September 28, 1876. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD HILLYER, of thecity and county of San Francisco-and State of California, have inventeda Device for Pulling Piles and I do hereby declare the following to 'bea full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a device for pulling Wooden piles and otherwooden beams and and timbers, such as are driven into the ground toserve as a support for wharves and other structures. When a wooden pilebreaks ofi' below the surface of the water it becomes an uglyobstruction and dangerous to shipping, and requires to be removed, andbeing entirely submerged it'is often difficult to find its exactlocation in order to attach a griping device, so that it can be pulledout. My improved griper is so constructed thatit is also a feeler forfinding the pile, as will be more thoroughly understood by theaccompanying description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are perspectiveviews of my device.

Preliminarily I will state that my feeler and griper is suspended fromthe boom of a derrick or crane, so that it can be lowered, and whenfixed upon a pile power can be applied to pull the pile out of its seatin the mud or earth, and remove it to any desired place. My griperconsists of three strong metallic jaws, A A A, mounted loosely upon aring or circular shaft, B, in a triangular manner. The inside face ofeach jaw is made convex longitudinally and concave transversely acrossits face, and the ring B passes through each jaw at or near its middle,so that each jaw extends both above and below the ring. That portion ofthe three jaws which extends above the ring serves as the clamps orgripers, and is provided with spurs or teeth 0 0, while that portionbelow the ring serves as feelers or guides. The lower end of each jaw isslotted longitudinally, said slot extending from the lower end of thejaw about half-way up to the ring B, and in this slot I secure a dog, F,by means of a rivet or bolt which passes through its middle so that theupper end of the dog can pass inside of the inside face of'the jaws,while its lower end extends outside or beyond the back of the jaw. G'G-G are three strong rods of the desired length, which are arranged in theform of a tripod. The upper ends of these rods are secured in a metallicblock or head, H, while the lowerend of each is attached to the outsideprojecting end of one of the dogs, F. This device I suspend from theboom of the'derrick or crane by means of an eyebolt or rod, H, whichpasses through the head H; When the griper is simply suspended from theboom of the derrick, the weight of the jaws is suspended from the lowerends of the dogs, and consequently the upper ends of the jaws are drawninward toward eaoh'other while their lower ends are spread out so as topresent a flaring or bell-shaped opening. This flaring of the jawsserves to guide the device over the end of the pile when it comes withintheir range, and as the device settles down over the end of the pile theupper ends of the jaws are forced apart until the pile has beensufficiently entered. An upward pull upon the rods G G G then clamps theupper or inside end of the dogs against the pile, and by the outwardpressure which this action exerts upon the jaws below the ring theyforcethe upper ends of the clamping-jaws toward each other, consequentlysinking the teeth or spurs G O into and holding it with a gripecorresponding with the pull upon the rods G G, so that the stronger thepull upon the clampingjaws the harder they will gripe the pile. Tofacilitate the lowering of the jaws, especially when they require to beforced down into the mud in order to find the end of the pile, I reducethe size of the upper ends of the rods G G G for a short distance belowthe head H, andthen make three holes in a circular plate, S,corresponding with the three rods. I then slip the plate upon the rodsso that it can setvtle down upon them and rest upon theshoulders formedby the termination of thereduced part. In the center of this plate Isecure loosely a pendent eyebolt or other suitable hanger, T, so that arope can be attached to it for the purpose of drawing downward on theplate, and thus forcing the jaws into the mud. In order to loosen thegripe of the jaws and free them from the pile after it has been pulled,I ease up on the boom-chain and drop a ring, V, down over the rods GG G.This ring is large enough to pass below the ring B and press the lowerends of the rods G toward each other, thus loosening the gripe of thedogs and jaws and allowing the device to be freed from the pile. Thering V I suspend by means ofdraw-cords X, which pass through eyes Y onthe inside of the plate S, so that ring can be drawn up or lowered atpleasure.

This device is simple and easily operated. It will find a pile and gripeit so that any desired amount of power within the strength of the metalof which it is composed can be applied. The lower dogs F may bedispensed with, if desired, in which case the rods G will be attached tothe projections on the jaws.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A griper for pulling wooden piles, consisting of three or more jaws,A A A, attached to a ring, B, at or near their middles, and having therods Gattached to their lower ends, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The jaws A A A, suspended by a ring,

B, at or near their middles, said jaws being convex longitudinally andconcave transing-rods G G G, applied to the lower ends, substantially asand for the purpose described.

3. The jaws AA A, suspended by a ring, B, at or near their middles, andslotted at their lower ends, in combination with the dog F andsuspending-rods G G G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In combination with a series of griping-jaws, suspended from rods G GG, the plates S, arranged to slide upon the rods G G G, and providedwith the depending eyebolt T, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The ring V, for dropping down over the suspending-rods G G G, foropening the griping-jaws, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

RICHARD HILLYER.

Witnesses FRANK A. BROOKS, E. E. STACY.

